Wow that was an interesting Labor day weekend wasn’t it? It seemed that we couldn’t get close enough to the water on Friday and Saturday with temperatures near 90 degrees. Then, overnight a little rain in some places, more in others and suddenly it was fall with temperatures in the 60’s! Now the likelihood is that we’ll still see a few more nice days before it starts getting too chilly outside but one thing is for sure and that’s colder weather is not too far off and the time to start with your fall maintenance is now!
Have the annual service performed for your furnace system and change your furnace filter and humidifier pad (if you have a humidifier)
Much like changing the oil on your car every 3000 miles, it is recommended that your furnace undergo preventative maintenance and cleaning once per year. This importance step ensures a thorough cleaning of a number of sensors and surfaces within your furnace as well as an inspection of many of the units internal components. It is your best bet to avoid expensive repairs and loss of heat in the cold winter months. Your furnace filters should be changed monthly and your humidifier pad should be changed annually. Humidifiers serve a very important role in the home beyond personal comfort. A properly set and functioning humidifier helps to minimize drying of wood trim and framing during the dry winter months. Common signs that your humidifier is not functioning as it should include cracking from shrinkage of wood trim, floor and painted surfaces.
Protect your gutters from falling debris
Gutter GuardsAs beautiful as the many colors of fall can be, it’s also a real pain in the back-side to clean those darn leaves and debris out of your gutters. But it’s a necessary task if you want to keep water from overflowing your gutters and away from the many problems clogged gutter can cause like ice damming in the winter, foundation leaks and erosion around the perimeter of your home. While it’s a necessary evil, make sure that you’re diligent with your ladder safety practices and by all means, if you’re not completely comfortable with the task, please call Home Pros for help with this handyman task. Once cleaned, you may also choose to have gutter guards installed to prevent the need to clean gutters again! How nice it would be to scratch that one off of your home maintenance list for good!
Roll up the hoses
While newer homes today have “Frost-Free” hose spouts installed, it is still possible to burst water pipes by leaving your hoses attached and exposed to freezing temperature. Whether your home is newer or older, the best practice is to disconnect the hose from the house spouts before freezing temperatures set in. Frozen or burst pipes can be a devastating event to deal with so make sure this easy step to your homes fall maintenance is completed.